FEEDBACK: Texture Updates
Thank you Riot for trying to give a pass at the older champs, it's the thought that counts, but quite frankly I'm VERY disappointed with quite a few of the texture updates. Just to make sure we're on the same page, I understand the art direction you're trying to take. You're trying to improve clarity by making things look less "busy," easier on the eyes, warmer colors, lower contrast, easier to tell apart from spells, match the new Summoner's Rift, etc. I get that. I'm with the program, and I embrace it. insert thumbs up
Now that we have that out of the way, my insight is that for a fair amount of texture updated skins you guys are tunnel-visioning so hard on the goal that you are sacrificing quality, oversimplifying WAY too much to the point where they look hideous, then calling it a day because it met your new art direction goals. This... will... not stand.
I will argue that in your efforts to match new art direction and improve clarity, some skins have gone full circle to where they stand out because of LACK of detail. Until the Warden Nautilus skin came out, I STOPPED playing Nautilus because every time I looked at his model, I was distracted by how bland it was. Without the original rust, he just... doesn't look intimidating anymore. I just didn't get the vibe that he was ever underwater at all. His armor just looked brand spanking new like he just bought a new one, and it diverted from the fantasy of being this rusted, hulking titan. Now he's leaning closer to your friendly neighborhood scuba diver.
Some skins that are severely over-simplified are: RUMBLE - This is down there with Akali and Nautilus before they were altered. The cockpit, specifically, sticks out like a sore thumb, the mace at a glance is a nasty blob of grey, and his mace coconut for the Rumble in the Jungle skin lost most semblance of being a coconut until close inspection. Bilgerat Rumble wood colors may be a bit too bright, that's more preference than fact, but overall it's looking good. NAUTILUS - For the base skin, it was enough to make me stop playing a character I love. RYZE: I get it, the runes were too busy for your taste, but you guys are freaking out. Dial it back a bit. Scroll looks way better, though, without the red. Indeed, that was too many colors, but he's started to look like a blurred blob. It almost hurts my eyes trying to identify the runes. I also couldn't even tell that Zombie Ryze scroll was even damaged, and it looks more like mild water damage than anything. SEWN CHAOS ORIANNA - Looks more metal than sewn now. Ruins the fantasy. OBSIDIAN MAPHITE - Whoa, that's a huge difference. FAR too blurry, lost the texture and overall feel of obsidian. I'm seeing a trend here. For lack of a better way to phrase it, any skin that is associated with a certain real-life texture has that texture lost in translation after the "texture update" (ie. rust on Nautilus, cloth on Swen Chaos Orianna, and the look of obsidian on Obsidian Malphite). This trend is rather consistent.
Some very GOOD texture updates off the top of my head: PANTHON - HUGE improvement on all skins, except maybe Full Metal which looks a little bland EVE - much better colors, and overall she looks like more of a badass. RAMMUS, ANIVIA, CHO'GATH - So good, they don't even need model updates. Wow. GALIO, BRAND, MORDE - Also great
One thing that really irks me is that this problem is non-existent on ANY new skins or champions, leading me to believe that there are different art directions for the texture updates and new content. I think you guys should talk to each other to make sure you're on the same page, because I see a clear difference. Something is wrong.
